Could Our Claims About God Turn People Off?
by Mike Edwards
I don’t write to push God on others. I am convinced God is big enough to make their own case with those seeking more of a connection with their Creator. I just know God has made me a better husband, father, and friend by their influence. I enjoy discussing my journey with those so inclined. Even if it turns out God doesn’t exist, what have I lost by living a life with fewer regrets.
One might argue the biggest obstacle Christians put in the way of others interested in pursuing God is hypocrisy. If you treat people like dirt, I doubt you are being influenced by the God I know. Most folks though understand no one is perfect. But if Christians fail to admit or confess their faults, good luck discussing your relationship with God with others.
Claims I consider false, made by Christians about God, may be the greatest problem. It is said:
- Evolution can’t be true and God couldn’t have used evolution in the creative process
- Women can’t be pastors or priests and wives should be more submissive to husbands than husbands should be to their wives
- God condemns gays who are naturally attracted to those of their same sex and God forbid they get married
- God is going to burn in hell forever those who deny God here on earth Most humans wouldn’t even justify such torture for their worst enemies. To Hell with those who grew up in a family of another religion that believed in the golden rule
- God before creation elected some to be God’s children and the rest can freely go to Hell
- God can control evil, despite creating freedom, thus in reality God controls how much each suffers
- God can magically answer your prayers and if God doesn’t, you must have some hidden sin or not praying the right words
- God can tell you to love your enemies but supposedly God can command the killing of women and children as in the Old Testament. Maybe the writers didn’t understand God fully at the time
- If you are an atheist or not all-in about God, you are simply being rebellious to justify living selfishly
- You don’t really love God if you don’t attend the institutional church on a regular basis
It is claimed the Bible is all about avoiding Hell rather than God desiring to have a relationship with you here on earth to face challenges inevitable in an imperfect world.
Do you doubt any of the above claims? Most if not all of the above beliefs come from one’s understanding of a Book. It is seldom admitted Christians disagree in good conscience about the above claims in the Bible about God.
Besides, many act as if it can be proven that God controlled or approved all that is claimed about God in the Bible, that God somehow magically download their thoughts and words into the writer’s brain.
Do you wish you could get more into God but certain claims are a problem? Don’t believe everything you hear. God surely gave us a brain and moral conscience to decide evil from good. If God is evil in any way, that is a God not worth believing in!
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
